Opatija

Opatija is the most known and the most prestigious summer resort in Croatia. Settled around the abbey of St. Jacob, in 1453, Opatija had started growing rapidly under the patronate of Austro-Hungary. It now hosts countless congresses, seminars, festivals, concerts and other cultural and arts exhibitions of world wide significance, throughout the year. Even though it is exposed to a bit colder climate than the rest of Dalmatia, charm of the local architecture, telling the tale of times gone by and the beauty of the riviera, attracts numerous visitors every year. A town of luxurious hotels, mansions and villas, it is a favorite destination of many of the world's elite, emperors, artists, poets and musicians, such as emperor Willim II, romanian queen Elizabeta, empress Sissi, writters A.P. Cehov, James Joyce and many others.